Disposable sun and rain shield



July 3, 1962 E. K. coBERLY, JR

DISPOSABLE SUN AND RAIN SHIELD Filed May 24, 1960 Fig.|.

lNvEN'roR Ernest K. Coberly` Jr.

United States Patent O 3,042,054 DISPOSABLE SUN AND RAIN SHIELD Ernest K. Coberly, Jr., 308 Cape May Ave., Pittsburgh 16, Pa. Filed May 24, 1960, Ser. No. 31,421 6 Claims. (Cl. 13S-19.5)

This invention relates to disposable umbrellas and more particularly to an umbrella of such simplified construction that it not only may be manufactured at an extremely low cost but also is easy to operate and still is most adequate for its protective purpose.

For many years persons skilled in the art of making umbrellas, as well as others, have sought to make a truly disposable umbrella. One of the principal ditliculties encountered has been to invent such an umbrella of a sufficiently uncomplicated yet adequate structure that it may be manufactured and sold at a cost sufciently low that ultimate users of such devices would be willing to purchase such devices, for emergency use for example, rather than purchase a regular umbrella, of which they may have several already, or do without protection altoaether. Many attempts have been made in the past to `devise such an umbrella, such as for example, United States Patent Nos. 2,757,679 to Rivkin et al., 2,672,877 to McPartland and 2,554,204 to Mueller. In these devices, as well as others, the construction has been so complicated, that either the cost `of manufacture of the umbrella made the selling price too high or it was too troublesome to assemble.

The present invention provides a structure significantly diiferent from prior art structures of extremely simplitied yet competent structure, low in cost, easy to manlpulate and most `suitable for the purpose for which it 1s 1ntended.

Applicant provides a disposable rain and sun sh1eld comprising, in combination, a shielding member of substantially stiff water-repellent material foldable inwardly along a pair of spaced substantially parallel fold lines disposed therein, a handle member secured to the inner side of the shield member, and a locking member prvotally secured to the inner side of the shielding member and swingable to a locking position across said fold lines and handle member, said handle member being foldable along a pair of spaced parallel fold lines therein adapted to be folded with said locking member in locking position.

Applicants disposable shield is comprised of only three principal members, all of which are uncomplicated and may be made of very inexpensive materials. It is easily assembled and is equally easy to manipulate in use. It is foldable to a size that is handy for carrying or storage and still is sufliciently large when opened for use to provide ample protection to the user from sun and rain. Although applicants shield may be manufactured at a cost sufficiently low to make it truly a disposable article, nevertheless, it is of suiciently sturdy construction that it may be used repeatedly.

Other details, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description of a certain present preferred embod-iment thereof proceeds.

In the `accompanying drawings, I have shown a certain present preferred embodiment of the invention in which FIGURE l is a lower elevational view of my device in its closed or storing position;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the inner side of the invention with the shield opened out;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view partly in elevation taken on the line III- III of FIGURE 4;

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FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the device in operating position; and,

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of my shield in operating position.

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGURE 2, I have illustrated a disposable rain and sun shield having a shield 10 made of substantially stiff water-repellent -material such as ordinary hard surfaced poster or bristol type paper board. Shield 10 is of a size suficient to adequately protect a person employing the device from rain or sun. Shield 10 is divided into three portions by a pair of fold lines 1=1 so that the outer portions of shield 10 may be folded inwardly on the middle portion along folds 11 but will resiliently resist folding in the other direction. A backer 12 may be secured to the inner side of shield 10 by staples 13. Backer 12 is disposed Within -fold lines 11 and is fastened flat against shield 10 to increase the rigidity of shield 10 if desired. Backer 12 may be composed of a relatively stiff material such as ordinary cardboard. A handle I14 is secured to shield 10 `and hacker 12 by means such as `fasteners 15. Handle 14 is positioned adjacent and substantially parallel to one of rthe fold lines 11 in the middle portion of shield 10 as shown in FIGURE 2. IIf more protective room under the shield is desired, it is easily possible to position handle 14 similarly along fold line 11 in the outer portion of shield 10. Handle 14 may be composed of a relatively rigid inexpensive material such as ordinary corrugated cardboard. Handle 14 contains a pair of fold lines 16 along which the portions external of fold lines 16 may be folded into a position perpendicular to the plane of shield 10 to form a handle. A locking crosspiece 17 is pivotally secured to shield 10 and backer 12 substantially at the center of shield 10 such as by fastener 18. When the sun and rain shield is not in use crosspiece 17 is normally in a position substantially parallel to fold lines 11. When it is desired to use the sun and rain shield, crosspiece 17 is pivoted in either direotion across fold lines 11 and handle `14 to the position shown in chain line in FIGURE 2 to thereby hold and support the outer folding portions of shield 10l in substantially the same plane with its middle portion. Crosspiece 17 is positioned across handle 14 between fold lines 16 so that when the outer portions of handle 14 are folded into their perpendicular position crosspiece 17 is securely held in its transverse or locking position. Crosspiece 17 likewise may be composed of `a relatively rigid inexpensive material such as corrugated cardboard. It is obvious that crosspiece 17 may not inadvertently pivot to permit theV sun and rain shield to collapse so long as crosspiece 17 is locked in its transverse position by handle 14 when folded and held for use.

To open the sun and rain shield the user simply unfolds shield 10 out at pivots crosspiece l1"7 across fold lines 11 and handle 14 between fold lines 16 and then folds the outer portions of handle 14 to their perpendicular position to lock crosspiece 17 in its transverse position as shown in FIGURE 5.

To close the sun and rain shield the user simply unfolds handle 14 ilat against shield 10, pivots crosspiece 17 back to its position between fold lines 11 and then folds shield 10 along its fold lines 11 inwardly upon its middle portion as shown in FIGURE l.

While I have shown and described a present preferred embodiment of the invention it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be variously embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A disposable rain and sun shield comprising, in combination, a shielding member of substantially stiff water-repellent material foldable inwardly only along a plurality of spaced substantially parallel `fold lines disposed -therein, a handle member secured to the inner side of I'the shield member, yand a locking member pivotally secured to the inner side of said shield-ing member and swingable `to a locking position transverse of said fold lines and handle member, said handle member being foldable inwardly along a plurality of spaced fold lines therein adapted to be folded with said locking member in said transverse position within the spacing of said handle member fold lines.

2. A disposable rain and sun shield comprising, in combination, a shielding member of substantially stiff water-repellent material lfoldable inwardly only along a plurality of spaced substantially parallel fold lines disposed therein, a handle member secured to the inner side of said shielding member and foldable inwardly along a plurality of spaced fold lines therein and a locking member pivotally secured to the inner side of said shielding member and swingable to a locking position transverse of said shielding member fold lines and said handle member between said fold lines of said handle member whereby when said handle member is 'folded said locking member is held between said handle member fold lines in locking position.

3. A disposable rain and sun shield comprising, in combination, a shielding member of `substantially stiff water-repellent material `foldable inwardly only along a pair of spaced substantially parallel fold lines disposed therein, a backer member secured to the inner side of said shielding member within said fold lines, a handle member secured to the inner side of said shielding member and backer member, and a locking member pivotally secured to the inner side of said shielding member and backer member and swingable to a locking position across said fold lines and handle member, said handle member being foldable inwardly along a pair of spaced fold lines therein adapted to be folded with said locking member between said handle member fold lines in locking position.

4. A disposable sun and rain shield comprising, in combination, a shielding member of substantially stii water-repellent material comprising two outer elements and a middle element extending normally in one plane and articulately connected along spaced substantially parallel fold lines whereby the outer elements are foldable over the middle element in an inwardly direction only and resiliently opposed to movement in an outwardly direction, a handle member secured to the inward side of said shielding member and `foldable inwardly along a pair of spaced fold lines therein and a locking member pivotally secured to the inward side of said shielding member and sWinga-ble to a locking position crossing said shielding member fold lines and said handle member between said fold lines of said handle member whereby said locking member is held in locking position when said handle member is folded.

5. A disposable sun `and rain shield comprising, in combination, a shielding member of substantially stiff water-repellent material comprising two outer elements and a middle element extending normally in one plane and articulately connected along spaced substantially parallel fold lines whereby the outer elements are `foldable over the middle element in an inwardly direction only and resiliently opposed to movement in the opposite direction, a backer member secured to the inward side of said middle element within the lateral dimensions thereof, a handle member secured to the inward side of said shielding member and backer member and `foldable inwardly along a pair of spaced fold lines therein and a locking member pivotally secured to the inward side of sa-id shielding member and said backer member and swingable to a locking position transverse of said shielding member `fold lines and said handle member between said fold lines of said handle member whereby said locking member is held in locking position when said handle member is fol-ded.

6. A disposable sun and rain shield comprising, in combination, a shielding member of substantially stiff water-repellent material comprising two outer elements and a middle element extending normally in one plane and articulately connected along spaced substantially parallel fold lines whereby the outer elements are foldable over the middle element in an inwardly direction only and resiliently opposed to movement in the opposite direction, a backer member secured to said middle element, a handle member comprising two outer elements and middle element, said last-mentioned middle element being secured to the inward side of said shielding member and backer member, said outer and middle handle member elements being articulately connected along spaced fold lines whereby said last-mentioned outer elements are foldable inwardly into a substantially perpendicular relationship with said last-'mentioned element and a locking member pivotally secured to the inner side of said shielding member and backer member and swingable `to a locking position across the shielding member fold lines and the middle element of the handle member whereby said locking member is held in locking position when the outer elements of said handle member are folded into said perpendicular position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,000,665 Cavally Aug. 15, 1911 2,538,550 Atwater v Ian. 16, 19,51

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION Patent No. 3,042,054 July 3, 1962 Ernest K., Coberly, Jr.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that theaad Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4, line 40; after "last-mentioned'-l insert middle Signed and sealed this 23rd day of October 1962.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNT w. swIDEE `DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents UNITED STATES PATENT oEEICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION Patent No; 3,042,054 July 3, 1962 Ernest K Coberly, Jr.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered petent requiring correction and that the-said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4, line 40; after "last-mentioned" insert middle Signed and sealed this 23rd day of October 1962.

(SEAL) Attest:v

ERNEST w. swIDER DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

